LOSTINE — Wildfires in Northeast Oregon are inevitable, but landowners and communities can help firefighters by working to make their properties as fire-resistant as possible.

That was among the key themes at a “pub talk” held Wednesday, Jan. 25, at M. Crow in Lostine. The event, sponsored by Wallowa Resources, attracted more than 70 people and featured presentations from speakers, including a district ranger on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and a private landowner in the county.

“These places have burned regularly since the beginning of time,” said Justin Jones, one of the speakers, who lives between Enterprise and Joseph. “Now it is just a matter of being prepared. There is going to be a fire in these forests, and as landowners we need to do our part.”

That point was echoed by the evening’s moderator, John Rizza of the Oregon State University’s Extension Service and a regional fire specialist for Northeast Oregon.

“There is a lot of momentum related to fire mitigation and resilience. We’ve had some major fires, so I think there is an opportunity to have some good dialogue.”

Rizza went on to point out questions landowners can ask themselves to be prepared:

• What’s the situation you live in?

• What’s the forest condition around you?

• What’s around your structures and your property?

• How do you get set up to be able to adequately be ready for a fire?

He echoed Jones’ comment that wildfires are inevitable and recommended being prepared. “We’re trying to provide opportunities to let people know what resources are out there and what they can do to help, regarding both the tools and tips for managing your own property.”

Brian Anderson, district ranger for the U.S. Forest Service’s Wallowa Mountains office, emphasized the resources available to landowners seeking information on how to make their property more resistant to wildfire.

“The Forest Service networks to manage fires on landscapes, and restore landscapes and reduce the impact of risk of fire on these lands,” he said. “Fire is a natural thing and an important part of the ecosystem, and it obviously has impacts on people. We’re trying to balance the tradeoff between fire and landowners.”

Anderson recommended reaching out to Firewise communities such as Lostine, which have actively worked to prepare for wildfires. He also said Wallowa Resources has resources to help landowners.

Jones was one of the evening’s final speakers, and emphasized the importance of landowners doing their part in the battle against wildfire.

“Certainly, when you have a major wildfire, I know as a landowner, if that fire is coming close to my property, I need to do everything I can so when firefighters show up they will say ‘this is a place I’m going to invest my time and effort into because I can do it safely and I will have the ability to protect this home.’”